Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and systems for managing residual charge for multi-point pacing therapy.
Multi-point pacing (MPP) therapy provides cardiac activation of multiple locations to achieve synchrony of heart contractions. A major challenge of MPP therapy is the charge balancing or pacing neutrality after providing pacing. Pacing neutrality is required in conventional MPP systems to eliminate the accumulated charge of pacing electrodes, and prevent the uncontrolled release of electrical charges to potentially stimulate cardiac tissue. The stimulation of cardiac tissue from accumulated charge of pacing electrodes can cause patient safety concerns when using the MPP system. Additionally, if the residual charge after pacing is not fully discharged, the residual charge may affect the ability of sensing of cardiac signals and affect the overall pacing neutrality.
Typically, after each chamber pacing or each pulse (i.e., atrial pacing, right ventricular pacing, or left ventricular pacing), the traditional implantable CRT device systems form discharge pulses immediately following each pacing pulse. The immediate discharge allows the sufficient discharge of the residual charges in the pacing system to achieve the pacing neutrality. However, in MPP systems, achieving pacing neutrality becomes challenging because of an increase number of the pulses delivered and the short time interval between the pacing pulses. Based on the shorter time intervals, less time is available to achieve pacing neutrality. For example, a duration of the discharge pulses is not enough to dissipate the residual charges. Thus, a desire remains to improve managing the residual charge for the MPP therapy.